Quick-release device for grinding-mills.



PATENTED OCT. a, 1903.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1902.

E0 MoEEL.

Smemtoz.

UNITED- ST TES Patented October 6, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON SNYDER, OF MUNOY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SPROUT,

WALDRON AND COMPANY, OF BOROUGH OF MUNOY, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATIONOF PENNSYLVANIA.

QUICK-RELEASE DEVICE FOR GRINDING-MILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,480, dated O tober6, 1903.

Application filed June 26, 1902.

Serial No. matte. (No mine.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, SIMON, SNYDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Muncy, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick-ReleaseDevices for Grinding-Mills; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, andexact de- I scription of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains.

to make and use the same.

This invention relates to attrition-mills, and particularly to mechanismfor efiecting instant release of the pressure bywhich the grindingdisks, burs, or plates are held together or in operative relation.

The invention is an improvement on quickrelease devices of that type inwhich the end thrust of the driving shaft or spindle is sustained by amember adapted to be shifted by lever-and-link mechanism for releasingthe shaft and restoring it to normal position; and the principal objectsare to reduce to a minimum the motion required in such mechanisms forreleasing or separating the grindingsurfaces and bringing them together,to reu der the release device independent of the shaft-bearin gs orother fixtures, to provide for maintaining in a device of the characterreferred to a yieldable pressure between the grinding-surfaces and topermit adjustment of the tension or pressure, and to improve gen{ erallyupon devices of this same character. These objects are attained bymechanism substantially such as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, of quick-re- Fig.

lease device embodying my invention. 2 is a horizontal section, and Fig.3 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof.

Referring to said drawings, in which the same letters of referenceindicate correspond.- ing parts in the difierent figures, A designatesthe driving-shaft of one of the grinding disks or plates of anattrition-mill. The other grinding disk or plate, which of courseconfronts the first, may be either fixed or rotary. Said grindingdevices are not illustrated herein, since this is unnecessary for anexplanation of the present invention.

The letter B represents one of the bearings .of the driving-shaft,and Cdenotes a casing,

of'the front end of the adjustable casing or member E against the rearend of easing O. A pin G may be inserted through registering aperturesin lugs or ears on the casings O and E and secured in place by aset-screw or other means, said pin thus preventing the casing ormemberlE from turning. However, on loosening the set-screw andwithdrawing the pin the said casing E may be given one or more completeturns, either to the right or left, thus screwing orunscrewing on thestepboxv D for adjusting the pressure of the spring.

The end thrust of the driving-shaft is received within the step-box by ablock H, a suitable antifriction device, consisting of chilled plates Jand interposed balls, being preferably arranged between the shaft andblock. The said block is slidably fitted in the step-box and itsadjustable extension or casing E. In the construction represented thebloclris cylindrical, audits rear end is fitted within a tubular rearportion 6 of easing E; but it islobvious. that. the block may bedifferently formed and may be guided by other suitable means.

The letter K denotes a slidable or shiftable cross-head, through whichis screwed a temper-screw L, the inner end of which bears against theblock H, and thus opposes the end thrust of the driving-shaft. Thetemperscrew is provided with'a suitable hand-wheel or other operatingdevice and is screwed through a. lock-nut Z, preferably of the winged Ior finger type, for manipulation thereof. The

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cross-head, as shown, is formed with an elongated tubular flange orsleeve portion 7c,which fits slidably over the rear tubular end 6 of thecasing E, though said crosshead may be mounted on pins projecting fromthe casing or may be otherwise held in place. A pair of curved or bowedlinks M M are pivoted at their rear ends to opposite sides of saidcrosshead and pivoted at their front ends to short parallel arms orcranks N, the trunnions or studs n of which are journaled in suitableopenings or bearings at opposite sides of the casing E. The pivotalconnections are effected in the present instance by means ofshoulder-bolts O, entered through the links and having reduced threadedends screwed into the said cross-head and the said cranks. The trunnionsnare mounted on or rigidly secured to an axial stem or rod P foroperating the cranks and links in unison. In the construction shown theends of said stem are square or polygonal and fit within similarlyshapedcentral openings in the studs, the latter being detachably securedthereto by washers and shoulder-bolts. The stem passes through alongitudinal elongated slot h in the block H, and thus is prevented frominter- 'fering with the longitudinal movement of said block. Anysuitable device or handle may be connected with the stem P or witheither or both of the cranks; but I preferably employ a singlehand-lever Q, which may be formed integrally with one of the trunnionsor otherwise mounted on the axial stem. This lever is preferablydisposed at about right angles to the cranks N, though this arrangementis not essential.

The quick-release device is represented in the drawings in normalposition, the handlever being upright and the cranks and links holdingthe cross-head and temper-screw and through the latter the block H anddrivingshaft in forward position, thus maintaining the grinding-surfacesof the mill in operative relation. It will be observed that the pivotalconnections between the links and cranks are slightly below the plane orline of trunnions n and pivotal connections between the links andcross-head, whereby the hand-lever is locked in position. In such normalor holding position the temper-screw may be adjusted to compensate forwear or to regulate the pressure between the grinding-surfaces, and, asbefore explained, the tension or pressure of the spring F, which permitsyielding of the step-box and connected parts, may also be adjusted bywithdrawing the pin Gand screwing or unscrewing the member or casing Eon the step-box D.

In order to release the grinding-surfaces, the lever is moved'backward,which action,

' through the medium of the cranks and links,

and cranks above the plane of the trunnions and pivotal connectionsbetween the links and cross-head, since the force of the spring F andthe device or devices used for separating the grinding-surfaces whenreleased completes the movement. A short turn of the lever accomplishesthis, and the operator is thus enabled to release the grinding-surfacesin an instant. To bring the grinding-surfaces together again, the leveris returned to its former position, which, through the medium of thecranks and'links, advances the cross-head, temper-screw, and block, thusshifting forwardly the driving-shaft or restoring itto normal position.

While my improved'quick-release device is preferably combined with aspring-actuated step-box, as herein illustrated and described, it willbe understood that said releasing device is not restricted to such orany special form of hearing, but may be otherwise applied. The device isalso susceptible of various changes in details of construction andarrangement without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

1. In a quick-release mechanism, the combination with the runner-shaft,of a-movable end-thrust-sustaining member having a longitudinal slot oropen-ing therethrough, a relatively fixed stem or rod extending throughsaid slot and having cranks thereon at opposite sides of said member,links for shifting said member pivoted to said cranks, and means forturning said stem, substantially as described.

2. In a quick-release mechanism, the combination with the runner-shaft,of an end casing therefor,a thrust-sustaining member slidable in saidcasing and having a longitudinal slot or opening therethrough, a stem orrod extending through said slot and journaled in opposite sides of saidcasing, cranks on said stem at opposite sides of said thrust-sustainingmember, links for shifting said member pivoted to said cranks, and meansfor turning said stem, substantially as described.

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3. In a quick-release mechanism, the combination with the runner-shaft,of a slidable cross-head carrying a shaft-adjusting device, a slidableblock interposed between said device and the end of the shaft and havinga longitudinal slot or opening therethrough, a relatively fixed stem orrod extending through said slot and having cranks thereon at oppositesides of said block, links connecting said cranks and cross-head, andmeans for turning said stem, substantially as described.

4.. In a quick-release mechanism, the combination with the runner-shaft,of a slidable cross-head, a slidable block interposed between saidcross-head and the end of the shaft through which the end thrust istransmitted to said cross-head, said block having a longitudinal slot oropening therethrough, a relatively fixed stem or rod extending throughsaid slot or opening and having cranks thereon at opposite sides of saidblock, COHHGG', tions between said cranks and cross-head,and means forturning said stem, substantially as described.

5. In a quick-release mechanism, the combination with the runner-shaft,of a slidable cross-head sustaining end thrus't,a transverse relativelyfixed stem or red between said cross-head and the end of the shaft,means for sustaining and transmitting thrust or pressure between theshaft and cross-head,

cranks on said stem at opposite sides of the shaft having connectionswith the cross-head, and means for turning said stem substantially asdescribed.

6. In a quick-release mechanism, the combination with the runner-shaft,of a slidable cross-head sustaining end thrust, a transverse relativelyfixed stem or red between said cross-head and the end of the shaft,means for sustaining and transmitting thrust or pressure between theshaft and cross-head, cranks on said stem at opposite sides of theshaft, and bowed links pivoted to said cross head and spanning said stemand pivoted to said cranks in advance of the stem and slightly below theplane of the stem and pivoted connections at the cross-head,substantially as described.

7. In a quick-release mechanism, the combination with the runner-shaft,of an end casing therefor, aslidable cross-head suitably mounted on therear of said casing, a temperscrew screwed through said cross head, aslidable blo'ck interposed between the end of the shaft and the end ofsaid temper-screw, said block having a longitudinal slot or openingtherethrough, cranks having trunnions journaled in opposite sides ofsaid casing, a stem or rod extending through the slot in said block andrigidly connecting said trunnions, links connecting said cranks andcross-head, and means for turning said stem to operate the cranks andlinks to shift the cross-head, substantially as described.

8. In combination with the runner-shaft, a fixed casing, aspring-actuated or yieldable step-box for the shaft slidable therein, anadjustable casing on the rear of said step-box limiting itsforwardmevemcnt by abutment against said fixed casing, athrust-sustaining member slidable in said step-box and adjustablecasing, and crank-and-link mechanism carried by said adjustable casingfor shifting said member, substantially as described.

9. In combination with the runner-shaft, a spring held step -boxtherefor, a slidable thrust-sustaining member carried bysaid step-box, alever havingits pivot connected to said step-box, and a link connectingsaid lever and member, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I-affix my signaturev in presence of two Witnesses.

SIMON SNYDER.

Witnesses:

WALTER A. KRAMER, C. E. SPROUT.

